From left to right: Matt Maston, VP of student affairs; Cianna Mckenzie, president of the Foundry; Patrice Pat-Odita, President of the Black Student Union; Dr. Ian Matheson, President of Mount Allison University
Last Friday, Mount Allison students gathered at Windsor’s Grand Room to celebrate Black excellence, an event led by the Black Student Union president Patrice and others, as an end to a full month of Black History Month programming on campus.
The Gala was a night of elegance, speeches, awards, food, and togetherness for busy students in multiple departments who rarely have time to commune.
In recent years, Black History Month observations have been known to also focus heavily on the future. The month featured panel discussions, performances, events, and a business fair hosted by The Foundry, highlighting Black entrepreneurship. Foundry President Cianna shared that these events provided both inspiration and practical resources for students.
Fourth-year student Paul Togbo praised the event’s sense of community, while third-year students Uche and Jacinta emphasized the importance of gathering and taking a break from academic stress.
University leaders, including President Ian Sutherland and Matt Maston, commended student organizers and spoke on commitments to supporting Black student-led initiatives.
The night wrapped up with a karaoke session, where students sang everything from Drake and Afrobeats hits to Justin Bieber’s “Baby” and a surprise moment of Barney the Dinosaurs “I Love You”.
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📸 Snaps from the event:
